Vacuum cleaner floor sweepings pick-up baseboard apparatus



H. BIERSTOCK April 3, 1962 VACUUM CLEANER FLOOR SWEEPINGS PICK-UP BASEBOARD APPARATUS 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 F'iled Aug. 8, 1960 INI/ENTOR. #4f/ey /fzsacx BY AQMI v@ www L@ wm www@ y Apnl 3, 1962 H. BIERsTocK 3,027,583

VACUUM CLEANER FLOOR SWEEPINGS PICK-*UP BASEBOARD APPARATUS Filed Aug. 8, 1960 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Af JY L /24 /Za Z /24 /03 M6/f7 /G. 6

l ll'llll IN V EN TOR.

NG. 7 VMM fraz/v5 Y 3 O27 588 April 3, H. BiERSTOCK 9 y VACUUM CLEANER FLOOR SWEEPINGS PICK-UP BASEBOARD APPARATUS 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug. 8, 1960 K .c WWA d1 V25 /V/ N #Aw V f m, .i WN, l@

3,027,588 VACUUM CLEANER FLOOR SWEEPINGS PICK-UP BASEBOARD APPARATUS Filed Aug. 8, 1960 April 3, 1962 H. BlERsTocK 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN V EN TOR. /Aeey @525706K j a (www im Sm EN BGN Q April 3, 1962 H. BIERsTocK 3,027,588?

VACUUM CLEANER FLOOR SWEEPINGS PICK-UP BASEBOARD APPARATUS Filed Aug. 8, 1960 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 276 276 33o 344 274 309 325 322 o Z 'Ag Lx l/L;

IN VEN TOR. H422 y 525257002 Unite dtates arent ihre Patented Apr. 3, 1962 This invention relates to `a vacuum cleaner floor sweepings pick up baseboard apparatus and has for an object to provide an improved apparatus for utilizing a vacuum cleaner for picking up floor sweepings, and for locating the vacuum cleaner sweepings pick up apparatus in a convenient location in any desired room of the house, and more particularly, in such a manner so that it may be extended through the baseboard of the room or of a cabinet in the room so as to place a vacuum cleaner nozzle in contact with the iloor at a desired location so as to suck in dirt, debris and dust that has been swept to that particular location, thus avoiding the necessity of stooping and operating a hand broom and brush .for picking up the door sweepings to dispose of them.

A further obiect of this invention is to provide a vacuum cleaner floor sweepings pick up baseboard apparatus which may be conveniently operated by the toe of the operator, without the necessity of bending or stooping, so as to move the vacuum cleaner nozzle through the baseboard to the pick up location and while simultaneously turning on the vacuum cleaner, and then when the operation is completed, to retract the nozzle back through the baseboard, closing the opening through which the nozzle has extended, and simultaneously cut olf the vacuum cleaner.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide a vacuum cleaner floor sweepings pick-up baseboard apparatus operating under principles which may be embodied in more than one forni, and which may be located in the space under cabinets behind the baseboard of the cabinet, or even in a closet behind the baseboard of a room, and be connected either permanently or temporarily to a vacuum cleaner, and wherein the vacuum cleaner, when temporarily connected thereto, may be readily disconnected therefrom and used in its conventional manner.

This invention provides an improved form of vacuum cleaner floor sweepings pick up baseboard apparatus of the applicants prior invention on the same subject, as shown in prior patent application Serial No. 845,988 filed October 12, 1959.

With the above and related objects in view, this invention consists in the details of construction and combination of parts, as will be more fully understood from thc following description, when ree in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG, 1 is a partly elevational and partly broken away and sectional view of the apparatus of this invention, in operative position.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view on line 2-2 of FG. 1.

FlG. 3 is a sectional view on line 3-3 of FlG. 1, showing the valve and switch operating means.

FiG. 4 is a view on line 4-4 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view on line 5-5 of FIG. l, showing the transverse slide valve means on a larger scale. FIG. 6 is a sectional view on line 6-6 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view, on a larger scale than but similar to FIG. 2, with the nozzle tube and nozzle extended in door sweepings pick up position.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary view on line of FIG. 1.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view on line -Q of FIG. 2.

FIG. 10 is a View, on a small scale, of a slifhtly different manner of mounting this form of this invention in a cabinet base space.

FiG. 11 is a View, similar to FIG. 1, of a modified form of this invention.

FIG. 12 is a sectional View on line 12-12 of FIG. 11. FIG. 13 is a sectional View on line 1 3-13 of FIG. 11. FIG. 14 is a sectional view on line lf3- 14 of FIG. 11. FIG. 15 is a sectional view on line 15-15 of FIG. 11. FIG. 16 is a sectional view on line lr6-16 of FIG, 11. FlG. 17 is a sectional view on line 17-17 of FIG. ll.

There is shown at lll the vacuum cleaner floor sweepings pick up apparatus of one form of this invention supported in a framework assembly 12 and framework floor it mounted in any convenient manner in the base space le of a cabinet 20, such as a kitchen cabin-et. One convenient manner is to attach the framework assembly 12 and framework 14 in a depending position from hanger eye bolts 18 pivoted on brackets 17 on the framework assembly 12, bolts 113 extending into nuts 19 through `cabinet; floor 22, the cabinet baseboard also being suitably cutaway to receive the framework baseboard 24 therein, thus enabling the apparatus 1t? to be readily mounted in an existing cabinet.

The framework assembly 12 has a rear wall 26, a front wall constituting its baseboard 24, and connecting side walls Sil between the rear and front walls. The apparatus l@ includes an elongated nozzle 32 extendable through an aperture 3d in the baseboard 24, the nozzle 32 being hinged by a flexible coupling ring 38 to one end of a slidably retractable tube lill. The baseboard aperture 3ft has a door d2 pivotally hinged thereover at i4 and normally biased to closed position by a spring 46 extending between a bracket 48 and an ear 5d on the rear of the door 42, the door 42 thus camming the nozzle 32 downwardly as it is extended through the aperture 34 to bring its elongated lower lip 52 into Contact with the room door 54 in the area where the floor sweepings are to be picked up by this apparatus li?. The upper nozzle lip 56 is preferably of transparent plastic so as to provide viewability, but if desired, the entire nozzle mouth may be transparent. Bracket supported wheels 53 with bowed guide fingers el) as shown in FIGS. 1 and 8 threadedly extend from the opposite sides of the back 63 of the nozzle 32 to lift the mouth from the floor 54E- as it retracts through the aperture 34. Obviously, the nozzle 32 could be made rigid with the tube dll if the tube all be mounted to extend a suitable slight angle to the horizontal.

The body of the tube lil is Slidably extendable within a sleeve 62 supported within housing chamber shown here as a cylinder 64, the cylinder 6-4 extending toward the rear wall 26. Fixed on the tube lll within the cylinder 6d is a piston 66 having a piston ring d in contact with the inside of the cylinder 64 so as to slidably prevent any pressure of vacuum leakage between opposite sides of the piston 6o. The front wall `end of cylinder 64 is closed by an apertured plug 7i? having a bushing 72 through which the tube dil is slidahle. The front eye bolt bracket 1'7 is secured on plug 7%, butin FIG. 7 a. hanger bolt 21 is threaded into plug 7d.

The sleeve 62 has ilanges 74 and 76 integral therewith at opposite ends, each llange having G-rings 78 making pressure tight contact with the inside of the cylinder 641i to prevent pressure or vacuum leakage thereby. The flange 76 is threaded at Sd to secure the end of cylinder 6ethereon as shown in FIG. 6. Beyond the threaded portion Sil, the flange 76 becomes a valve seat S2 having a main vacuum opening Sil leading to the inside of sleeve o2 and thus to the tube 4), a small air passage 8:5 leading to the space between the cylinder 64 and the sleeve o2, and a second small air passage 3S having a bypass conduit @il connected thereto and extending through the flange 74 to the space between the ange 74 and the tube piston 66. A second bypass conduit 92 extending on the outside of cylinder 64 connects a cylinder aperture 94 adjacent the flange 7S at one end thereof to an aperture 96 in the cylinder supporting plug 7@ leading to the space between the tube piston 66 and the plug 7h. Outside the end of the cylinder 64, the valve seat 82 is provided with two atmosphere connecting passages 9S and ltltl as shown in FIG. 6.

Between the valve seat 32 and a second parallel valve seat 1112 is a transversely slidable valve gate 104. EX- tending from an aperture 163 in the valve seat 162 and aligned with the main vacuum opening 8d in sleeve 62 is a coupling nipple 106 and an coupling elbow 103 for receiving the end of a vacuum hose 1113. The hose 11b may be connected to a permanently connected vacuum cleaner (not shown), or to female coupling suitably located for receiving the male hose end of a conventional portable home vacuum cleaner, such as disclosed in copending application Serial No. 845,988, tiled October 12, 1959 by this same inventor, of which this invention is an improvement.

The valve gate 164 is shaped substantially as shown in FIGS. 3, and 6. The gate 1li-d has main vacuum aperture 13S centrally therein and two small ports 112 and 11d at the outer ends of oval recesses 116 and 118 in the face of the valve gate 104 adjacent the valve seat 102. The valve gate lila is transversely movable in the space between the seats 52 and 192 provided by the top and bottom anges 12) and 122 of valve face 162 secured to valve face 82 bystuds 124.

A U-shaped bracket 126 is mounted on the wall 26 at one end of the valve seats 82 and 162 limiting the transverse movement of the valve gate 1114 in that direction. The U-legs 123 are apertured and provide bearings for a connecting rod 130 secured at one end at 132 to the end of the valve gate 104, the other end of the connecting rod 130 being in the form of an ear 133 in which is pivotally connected a link 134, the other end of the link 134 being pivoted in an apertured nger 136 secured at right angles by a set screw 13S on a rotatable rod 14h.

This rotatable rod 14) is journaled at 142 through the housing rear wall 26 and the baseboard 24, and has a manually operable handle 144 secured thereto at 146 in a depending position. The handle may be swung in either direction as shown by double arrow 148 in FIG. 4. A coil spring 150 is placed about the portion of the connecting rod 130 between the U-legs 126 of bracket 126 in the position when the valve gate main vacuum aperture 165 is aligned with the main vacuum opening bd in the sleeve 62 and the coupling nipple 1%, and at this position, the handle 146 is depending in the vertical position shown in FIG. 4. Extending through the midpoint of this portion of the rod 13@ between the U-legs 12b and thus through the coil spring 15G thereon is a Cotter pin 152, bearing washers 15d being provided between the ends of the coil spring 15G and the U-legs 128. As a result, the coil spring 150 biases the connecting rod 1.3i? and thus the valve gate 1114 to the position with the gate aperture 1115 aligned with the sleeve opening S4 and opening in nipple 106, and the handle 146 is simultaneously in the vertical depending position. Swinging the handle 146 in either direction simultaneously moves the valve gate 164 in a corresponding direction against the bias o the portion of the coil spring 126 between the Cotter pin 152 and the U-leg 128 t ward which it has been moved, so that when the handle 146 is released, the valve gate 1&4 automatically returns to its mid-position as shown.

A vacuum cleaner circuit controlling micro-switch. 1611 is mounted in the path of the other end 161 of the valve gate 1M and has a switch button 162 abutted by the end 161 of the valve gate lll/1 when the gate is moved to its limit in that direction, a hooked finger 16d being secured in the end of the valve gate 1&4 to extend over the switch 16%? and about a second switch button 166 when the valve gate 164 is moved in the opposite transverse direction. Circuit wires 163 connect switcn 16h to the motor of the vacuum cleaner to which the vacuum hose 111i is connected, the wires 168 extending directly to the vacuum cleaner motor if a permanent installation, or to a receptacle into which the cleaner wires may be plugged, if a portable conventional home vacuum cleaner, as set forth in applicants copending application, identitled above.

ln operation, the handle 144 is moved in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FlG. 4 to the oli center position, moving valve lil/l to the right as shown in FEGS. l and 3 (to the left as in FlGS. 5 and 6), and causes valve end 161 to contact switch button 162 and operate the vacuum cleaner (not shown), creating a vacuum through nipple 1%. Valve 10d as thus moved connects nipple 196 through recess 11S and port 114 to air passage 36 and thus through conduit 92 and cylinder aperture 96 to create a vacuum in the space within cylinder 64 about tube 40 between tube piston 66 and plug 7), and simultaneously, valve opening 165 connects passage 38 from bypass conduit 91B through atmosphere passage $3. As a vacuum is created on the forward side (toward the nozzle 32) of the tube piston 4t), atmospheric pressure reaching the back side of tube piston All) through bypass conduit 9h moves the tube piston 4@ forwardly, thus extending the nozzle 32 against the back of the door 42 opening the door 42 against its spring 50 and projecting the nozzle 32 forwardly as guided by the guide finger 66 in the bracket wheels 58. As the nozzle approaches its most forward position, the bowed ends 61 ot guide ngers 60 causes the nozzle to then extend downwardly, causing its lower lip 52 to contact the floor S4 as seen in FIG. 7.

rlhe handle 144, which has been operated by the human toe, is then released, and the spring 150, biased by the cotter pin 152, returns the handle 144 to center depending position (six oclock position) `and valve 164 is moved to the center position to align its main vacuum opening 10S between nipple 106 and sleeve opening 84, then drawing the vacuum through the tube lll `and nozzle 32 to pick up the dust, dirt and debris that has been swept to the vicinity of the nozzle lip 52 and thus dispose of the iloor sweepings without the necessity of stooping and using a pan and brush to pick up the sweepings.

Thereafter, the handle is moved in a clockwise direction oilc center. This moves valve 164 to the opposite limit of its movement, moving the recess 116 and port 112 to connect nipple 166 to passage 8S and bypass conduit El@ and thus the space about tube 4t? within sleeve 6d between tube piston 66 and sleeve flange 74 to the vacuum still present in nipple 166 as the vacuum cleaner is disconnected by the hooked finger 164 contacting the cut-ott button 166 of switch 16h, for it takes a little time for the cleaner to slow down and stop. Simultaneously, valve lllfl has cut oft" the sleeve opening S4, and valve opening 1115 now connects atmosphere passage 1&6 to air passage S6 and by pass conduit 92 to move the tube piston 66 to the sleeve llange 7d, `as the vacuum is created thereehind, and the nozzle 32 is retracted through the opening 34 and door l2 is closed both by gravity and the spring 5t?. Then when the nozzle 32 has been retracted, the handle 144 is released by thel toe, and the portion of the spring 15d that had been compressed by the Cotter pin 152 toward the other U-leg 123 biases the valve 164 back toward center position, leaving it ready for the next cycle of operation as above described.

ln FlGS. l to 9, the apparatus has been shown as being suspended from the floor board 22 of a cabinet Ztl. ln B1G. l0, a slightly different means of suspending the apparatus in a cabinet is shown. ln this form, the apparatus 182, identical with that at 10 except for the suspension means, has `a metal roof 184 secured across its top, and this root 154 is secured at its rear by a hinge pin 186 to a hinge plate (not shown) to the bottom of a door 138 itted into an opening cut info the cabinet lltl and removably secured in this opening in any convenient manner.

The front end of the apparatus 182 is adjuatably secured by a bolt 190 extending into a threaded aperture in a nut at the bottom of the front end of the metal roof 184. The cabinet baseboard has the same baseboard opening and door as in the first described form. The angle of the apparatus and thus of the nozzle 196 is adjusted by adjusting the bolt 190.

A somewhat modified form 'of the apparatus of this invention, diifering in details but involving the same principles is at 200 in FIGS. l1 to 17 inclusive. As shown, this apparatus 260 is occupying the Space beneath a cabinet, and has a nozzle 262 extendable through the cabinet baseboard 228 but it just as well may be located behind the wall of a closet and be extendable through the baseboard of the wall, inasmuch as it is not suspended from or connected to the cabinet, but is self-contained, and is adjustably supported on the room or closet floor, and to install this apparatus, it is only necessary to cut an opening through the baseboard through which the nozzle 202 is to extend, and two adjoining holes 264 and 266 in the room or closet oor, the hole 204 permitting an elbow pipe 26E to extend through the iloor for receiving the hose 210 of a vacuum cleaner detachably thereon and be held thereon by a bayonet pin 212 extending into a suitable bayonet joint (not shown) in the vacuum cleaner hose. The elbow 268 is externally threaded to receive a knurled adjusting nut 214- thereon, the floor hole 206 providing an access opening for rotating tthe knurled nut 208 to thus adjust the angle to the apparatus 200.

The nozzle 262 is made usually of a suitable plastic material, and the plastic material used may be completely transparent so as .to make it possible to view the dirt being drawn therethrough. Fthe nozzle 202 has a rearwardly carriage 216 secured thereto and` provided with wheels 2i8 at opposite sides which roll over a pair of tracks 22u` forming part of a bracket 222. The bracket 222 is generally U-shaped and in addition has oppositely extending flanges 224 and 226 which are `apertured to receive nails or screws 225 Ifor securing the bracket in an opening cut through the cabinet or closet wall baseboard 22S. Between the ang 224 and 226, the opening is closable by a door 236 hinged at 231 to a cross bar 232 connected across the top of ilanges 22d and 226, and biased downwardly by a spring 233 between the door and the bracket 222.

The `front ends 234 of tracks 220 are at a lower elevation than the major rear portion of the tracks and is connected thereto by inclines 236, so that as the nozzle moves forward on wheels 218 through the opened door, the nozzle 2u?. drops down to place the lower nozzle lip 238 into contact with the covering 240 on the room floor 242 in the location to which the dust or debris 244 is to be swept to be picked up. The rear end of the nozzle 262 has a collar 246 held thereon by a spring loaded yball 247 thereon with extending ears 243 through which extend pivot pins 250 into the front end of an extendable and retractable tube 252 corresponding to the tube 4t) in the first described forni. A ilexible air and pressure tight sleeve 254 is placed about the pivoted connection between the nozzle 202 and the tube 252 to prevent any loss of vacuum.

Secured to the bracket 222 by rivets 256 is a plug 258 which closes the front end of a housing chamber 260, this chamber corresponding to the chamber or cylinder 64 of the first described form of apparatus, and the tube 252 slidably extends through the bracket 222 and through a reasonably airtight fit in the plug 258. As will be seen from FIG. 13, the chamber 266i is non-cylindrical in crosssection, actually having straight top and bottom portions and oppo-site semi-cylindrical side portions, and integrally extending from the semi-cylindrical side portions are two Viianges 262 and 264 each of which is provided with longitudinally extending passageways 266 and 268.

At its rear end within the chamber 269, the tube 252 has a piston 276 secured thereon and provided with a piston O-ring 272 shaped to conform with the inside of the chamber 266 so that it may slidably reciprocate therewithin without leaking pressure between opposite sides of the piston 27). The tube 252 telescopes over a pipe 27d which is supported in a plug 276 on the rear end of chamber 260. The rear surface of the plug 276 provides a valve face 278 cooperating with a valve 23u transversely slidable within a auged valve casing 282 secured by studs 284 through its flanges 236 to the plug 276.

A nipple 290 connects the vacuum elbow 26S into valve casing 282 in axial alignment with the telescoped pipe 274, and the valve 280 has a main vacuum opening 288 therethrough aligned with the nipple 29u and the pipe 274 when the valve 28% is in neutral or central position. Secured to one end 292 of valve 280 is a hooked finger 294 which extends over a micro-switch 296 secured within the flanged casing 232 and arranged to Contact an On switch button 29S when moved to the left in FiG. ll (the right in PEG. 16) to start the vacuum cleaner and start the cycle (to be described hereafter) while the valve end 292 contacts the Off button 36h when the valve is moved in the opposite direction to stop the vacuum cleaner motor and end the cycle, wires 302 connecting the switch 296 to the vacuum motor.

At the opposite end 363 of the valve 225, there is secured a rod 394ireciprocably slidable through the end ange 286 of casing and ending in an angular hook 366. A collar 308 fixed on rod 364 cooperates with a coil spring 310 about the rod 36e between the collar 36S and the outside end of casing 282 to bias the rod 3M outwardly of the casing, while a second coil spring 312 about the rod 36d within the casing between the inner side of flange 236 and the valve end 363 biases the rod inwardly of the casing so that, when both springs are uncompressed, the rod 364 and hence the valve 2S@ remain in the neutral or central position. with the valve opening 228 aligned with nipple 25E@ and pipe 274.

The hooked end 366 of rod 34M is slidably secured in the control fork 314 fixed on the rear end of an operating rod 316. The operating rod 2116 is journaied in bearings 318 and 32) on bracket arms 322 and 324%. The rear bracket arm 322 is secured on an extending part of plug 276, while the bracket arm 3.24 is secured on bracket 222. The front end of operating rod 3M extends into and' is secured in a toe-operable handle '3.26 journaled through bracket flange 226 and depending vertically when the valve 286 is in central or neutral position.

Both the valve 256 and the valve face 27d of plug 276 have `additional passages for air or vacuum, which come into use when the valve 286* is moved away from neutral position. The plug 276 has passages 323 and 332 leading from atmosphere to transverse recesses 33t? 33d on the valve face 278 of plug 276. The valve has through passages 336 and 333 leading to transverse recesses 34th and 342 on the side away from the valve fac ing 278 of plug 276.

The plug 276 has a passage 344 leading to an aperture 346 at the valve end of longitudinal passageway 268, and a second aperture 34S at the other end of passageway 268 leads into the chamber 266 on the forward side of piston 279. A second passage Sti-9 in plug 276 from face 278 leads into the chamber 26? on the rearward side of piston 2.70.

A valve locking finger 353 extends through passageway 266 which is not used for air or vacuum passage, but is Sealed against passage by bushing 352 through which the finger 35@ reciprocates. A hooked end 356 of iinger 35i) extends through an aperture 358 into the chamber 266 to be struck by the piston 276 when it reaches the forward position to withdraw the locking Enger 3553 against the bias of a coil spring 360 thereabout between l a collar 362 fixed on the finger 354B and a pin 364 extending through the ilange 262 into the passage 266. The

other side of collar 362 (from the biasing spring Sell) contacts one end of an angle 365 pivoted on a bracket 368 mounted on the plug 276. When the piston 276i strikes angle 366, it moves the linger 35i) in a forward direction, that is, an unlocking direction, against the bias of spring 36), the same as when the hooked end 355 is struck by the other side of piston 271i. However, when piston 270 is in motion, the spring 26u biases the locking linger so as to extend its straight end into a suitable one of two apertures 351 in the face of valve 230 when the valve has moved to an extreme off center position in either direction, holding the valve in the extreme o center position until the piston 270 has completed its journey to strike either the linger hook 356 or the angle 366 to unlock the valve 280 and permit it to return to neutral or central position.

In operation, this apparatus is used for picking up dirt, dust or debris 244 that is swept on the floor covering 24u to an appropriate area located adjacent the apparatus, preferably after the cycle has been started. To start the cycle, the handle 326 is moved by the operators toe to the left as in FIGS. l1 and 14. This moves the valve 280 to the extreme left position causing hook finger 295 to actuate the On switch button 298, starting the vacuum cleaner motor and creating a suction through nipple 299. This suction travels then through recess 342 and passage 338 to passageway 344 and longitudinal passageway 268 to the forward side of piston 27@ within chamber 269, while valve opening 288 connects passage 309 to recess 3311 and through aperture 328 to atmosphere, so that, as a vacuum is created on the forward side of piston 270, atmosphere pressure iiows in at the rearward side. As soon as the piston starts to move forward, spring 366 moves the locking linger 35i) into locking contact 351 with the face of valve 280, holding the valve 280 in proper position until the piston 270 completes its forward journey and strikes the locking linger hook 356 t release the valve 250 and permit it to bias back to neutral position under the bias of coil spring 319.

As the piston 270 moves forward, it carries the tube 252 forward to push nozzle 202 against the back of the door 231), opening it against the bias of spring 233, and the nozzle 202 drops down as its wheels 218 ride down the incline 236 causing the nozzle lip 238 to touch the lioor covering 240 when in extended position. At this moment, the valve 231) is restored to neutral position, as above described, and the vacuum suction is thereby transferred by valve opening 288 to the pipe 274 and tube 2.52 to the nozzle 202, causing it to entirely pick up all the floor sweepings, dirt or dust 244 that has been or is now swept to adjacent its vicinity.

When the pick up operation is linished, the toe is again pushed against the handle 326, but in the opposite direction, that is, counterclockwise in FIG. 14. This moves the valve in the opposite direction, the suction is connected to the rear of the piston and the atmosphere to the front thereof, through the passages and recesses as described above, the piston starts to move back, locking the valve until the cycle is completed, and then the valve is released by the locking finger 350. Of course, the vacuum motor has its operating circuit cut by the microswitch Oli button by the valve end 292, but it takes some time for the operation of the vacuum motor to die down, and there is ample suction present while the motor is stopping to complete the cycle.

With this latter form of apparatus, it is only necessary to touch the operating handle 326 in either direction to initiate a complete half cycle as the valve 280 is locked in position until the half cycle is completed and then released by the locking linger 350, making it unnecessary to hold the handle 326 during the half cycle.

Although this invention has been described in considerable detail, such description is intended as being illustrative rather than limiting, since ,the invention may be variously embodied,and the scope of the invention is to be determined as claimed.

Having thus set forth and disclosed the nature of this invention, what is claimed is:

1. A vacuum cleaner lioor sweepings pick up baseboard apparatus comprising a sweepings pick up nozzle device, said nozzle device including an elongated nozzle having a long lower lip portion mounted to extend through a baseboard aperture adjacent the lioor area the sweepings from which are to be picked up, a vacuum hose, a tube on one end of which said nozzle device is mounted, a piston fixed on said tube, a housing chamber in which said piston xed on said tube is reciprocably mounted, controllable valve means for selectively leading the vacuum from said hose to said tube and nozzle, or to either side of said piston within said housing chamber to advance or retract said tube and said nozzle device thereon, and a vacuum operating circuit controlling switch mounted for operation by said controllable valve means.

2. The apparatus of claim l, said housing chamber being a cylinder.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, said housing chamber being non-cylindrical in cross-section.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, and a door pivoted over said baseboard aperture openable by said nozzle device advancing through said baseboard aperture.

5. The apparatus of claim l, and vacuum bypass conduit means between said valve means and opposite sides of said piston in said housing chamber.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, and atmosphere connecting passage means in said valve means arranged to be connected by said valve means to the non-vacuum side of said piston.

7. The apparatus of claim l, and means extending said lower lip portion into floor contact beyond said baseboard aperture.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, said extending means comprising a flexible connection between said nozzle device and said tube, and guide means biasing said nozzle downwardly as said nozzle device extends through said baseboard aperture.

9. The apparatus of claim 5, said valve means including a transversely slidable valve, means normally biasing said valve to vacuum completing position between said hose and said tube, said valve having means for selectively diverting the vacuum from said tube to said bypass conduit means to either side of said piston in said housing chamber.

l0. The apparatus of claim 9, and manually operable means for selectively sliding said valve transversely against said biasing means.

l1. The apparatus of claim 10, said circuit controlling switch being mounted in the transverse path of said valve in either direction.

12. The apparatus of claim l1, said manually operable means comprising a connecting rod secured to one transverse end of said valve, a manually rotatable rod extending at right angles to said connecting rod, a finger secured on and extending at right angles to said rotatable rod, and a link pivotally connected to said linger and to said connecting rod.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, said valve biasing means comprising coil spring means about said connecting rod, spring means abutment means fixed to said connecting rod at the midportion of said coil spring means, and fixed base means at each end of said coil spring means.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, a hollow member with which said tube telescopically cooperates, said hollow member' leading the vacuum from said valve means to said tube and nozzle.

l5. The apparatus ofclairn 9 and manually operable means for manually sliding said valve away from vacuum completing position between said hose and said tube to a vacuum diverting position to said housing chamber against said biasing means.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, said biasing means restoring said valve to said vacuum completing position between said hose and said tube on release of said manually operable means.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, and locking means holding said valve in diverting position while said piston and tube are in motion, and means actuated by said piston at the end of its motion in either direction to unlock said valve holding means and permit said valve to bias to said vacuum completing position to said tube and nozzle.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, said locking means comprising a locking linger, means mounting said locking finger for longitudinal movement into contact with said slidable valve and at right angles to said slidable valve, means biasing said locking linger against said valve and means operatively connected to said locking nger eX- tending into the path of said reciprocable piston adjacent each end of said path of movement to retract said finger from said valve upon contact by said piston.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, a pair of oppositely disposed longitudinally apertured flanges on said housing chamber, one of said longitudinally apertured anges providing a passageway for the vacuum from said valve to one side of said piston in said chamber, the other of said apertured ilanges providing a passageway in which said valve locking nger is operatively housed.

20. A vacuum cleaner door sweepings pick up basen 30 board apparatus comprising a floor sweepings pick-np nozzle device, said nozzle device including an elongated nozzle having a long lower lip mounted to extend through a baseboard aperture adjacent the floor area the sweepings from which are to be picked up, a vacuum hose, a vacuum tube on one end of which said nozzle device is mounted, said vacuum hose being connected to said vacuum tube, motive power means connected to said nozzle device to advance or retract said nozzle device through the baseboard aperture, controllable means for actuating said motive power means, and a vacuum operating circuit operable by said controllable actuating means.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, and a door pivoted over said baseboard aperture openable by said nozzle device advancing through said baseboard aperture.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, and means extending said lower lip portion into floor contact beyond said baseboard aperture.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, said extending means comprising a llexible connection between said nozzle device and said tube, and guide means biasing said nozzle downwardly as said nozzle device extends through said baseboard aperture.

References Cited in the ille of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,675,273 Sanders Apr. 13, 1954 2,953,806 Walker Sept. 27, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 843,262 Germany July 7, 1952 

